Psychiatric resident moonlighting : a review and modest proposal.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychiatry
• Graduate Medical Education

Background:

• Moonlighting by psychiatric residents is a controversial practice.
• Concerns exist regarding ethical, legal, financial, and educational risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the existing literature on psychiatric resident moonlighting.
• To identify policy positions, prevalence, justifications, and program models.
• To propose future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of resident moonlighting.
• Analysis of policy statements from graduate medical education organizations.
• Examination of survey data on moonlighting prevalence and justification.
• Review of institutional moonlighting program models.

Main Results:

• The practice of moonlighting by psychiatric residents is widespread but controversial.
• Various organizations have established policy positions on resident moonlighting.
• Data on prevalence, forms, and justifications for moonlighting exist across specialties.
• Different institutional models for moonlighting programs have been implemented.

Conclusions:

• Specific research proposals for psychiatric resident moonlighting are presented.
• There is a critical need for research on moonlighting's effects on resident performance.
• Further investigation into the impact of moonlighting on resident education is essential.